Beginning west of Hinton, Alberta, a 30-in diameter pipeline will cover the 7.6km to Hinton, and will then extend another 151km to Rearguard, British Columbia, using a 36-in diameter pipeline. The pipeline loop will address existing capacity constraints on the Trans Mountain pipeline, which has been in apportionment for several years, and will increase the ability of Canadian producers and marketers to access growing markets on the West Coast as well as Asian markets. "Approval for the Trans Mountain Anchor Loop really sets up the next phases of expansion, which will enable us to expand the pipeline system both south (serving markets in the lower mainland of British Columbia and Washington state) and north (to a deepwater port facility in the Kitimat region that would primarily serve markets in Asia)," Anderson said. He noted the company is still working with shippers for support of additional expansion phases and is talking to various parties, including the Chinese, on the prospects for a northern route. This project, which has the support of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, is part of the first phase of the Trans Mountain pipeline system expansion. A pump station expansion scheduled to be in service in April, 2007, will increase capacity from 225,000brl/d to 260,000brl/d, and the looping expansion, to be completed in 2009, will further increase capacity to 300,000brl/d.